Young Adult Summaries

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43015.A_Long_Way_Gone?from_search=true
Beah, Ishmael. (2007). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

This is a true story about Ishmael Beah who when he was 12 years old,
becomes a boy solider during the civil war in Sierra Leone. While Ishmael and his
brother were away from their village, the village was attacked. Ishmael, his brother
and friends were uncertain of what to do, so they decide to go village to village in
search of food and shelter. They struggle to survive and encounter violence and
danger.
Ishmael soon is recruited to join the army and to become a boy soldier. He
considered the army is family and believed everything that they told him. They made
him think that every kill is revenge for his familys death. After a while, his
Lieutenant turns in the boy solders to UNICEF where Ishmael is taken into a
rehabilitation center where he has to come to terms with his past and tries to move on.
After telling his story to the United Nations, he realizes how important it is to
share what happened to him. He returns to Sierra Leone and after his grandfather
dies, flees to Guinea and then makes his way to the United States.

















http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8590580-a-hare-in-the-elephant-s-trunk?from_search=true
Carter, Anne. (2008) The Shepherds Granddaughter. Toronto: Groundwood
Books.

This story is about a girl named Amani and has always wanted to be a shepherd
and follow in her grandfathers footsteps in Palestine. Her grandfather finally agreed
to teach her how to become a shepherd, even though her mom didnt like the idea.
The mountain trails were considered too dangerous for a young girl like Amani. Her
grandfather came up with a compromise, to satisfy her parents request for her to go
to school.
Despite all her struggles and name calling by her cousins, Amani doesnt give up.
But with her grandfathers health declining and a threat of Jewish settlers taking over
her familys land, Amani has to figure out a way to keep her sheep grazing and alive.
While this is happening to Amani, her father and brother take action into their own
hands and stand up against the Israelis actions.
She meets an American boy named Jonathan and together discovers a meadow
where Amani can let her sheep graze.











http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8590580-a-hare-in-the-elephant-s-trunk?from_search=true
Coates, Jan. (2011). A Hare in The Elephants Trunk. Ontario: Red Deer Press.

This story is about a young boy named Jacob that lives in a little village of Duk
Padiet in Sudan. His life is revolved around his mother, his sisters and learning how
to herd his uncles cattle. During the year of 1987, soldiers from the north invade his
village and burn building and kill.
This is based on real events of a Sudanese boy. During this story, Jacob and other
boys travel over forests, grasslands, and infested river for 7 years. They were called
the Lost Boys of Sudan. According to UNICEF.org,
http://www.unicef.org/sowc96/closboys.htm, there were at least 20,000 children,
mostly boys, between 7 and 17 years of age who were separated from their families.
Throughout those 7 years, Jacob resisted the temptation to join the liberation army but
never returned to his homeland.
He decides to follow his mothers advice of getting an education and escape the
violence of his country. He finds teachers and friends that help him learn about love,
ambition and loyalty. They help him through this journey and remember this family.




















http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/588142.Crossing_the_Wire?from_search=true
Hobbs, Will. (2007). Crossing The Wire. New York: Harper Collins.

This story is about 15 year-old Victor Flores that has worked hard after his father
died. Based in the mountains of Central Mexico, Victor works to keep his crops
growing but finds out that he might not be able to sell his corn this year. The crop
price has dropped and is in fear of starvation for his family.
Victor decides to head north and cross the wire into United States to work and
send home money. He has to travel by jumping trains and with people he doesnt
know, until he finally meets up with his childhood friend, Rico. Victor encounters
many difficulties along the way, like cold temperatures, the blazing heat of the
Arizona Desert, and hunger.
Despite Victors struggles and challenges of crossing the border into the
United States, he was able to find work. He was able to get a job and received his first
paycheck of 250 dollars. He sent it home to his family in Mexico. He was so proud of
himself to be bale to support his family in this time of desperate measures.

















http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6148571-wanting-mor?from_search=true
Khan, Rukhsana. (2009) Wanting Mor. Toronto: Groundwood Books.
This story is inspired by a true story about a girl named Jameela and her family
that live in a village in war infested Afghanistan. Despite everything Jameela has
gone through with her birth defect of a cleft lip and the war, she continues to absorbs
strength through her mother, Mor. Her mother dies and leaves Jameela and her father.
Her father moves to a new life in Kabul and starts to do drugs and drink. He decides
to re-marry to a lady that is demanding of Jameela. Her stepmother doesnt want her
and turns her into a slave.
When Jameela is discovered reading, she is abandoned in Kabuls busy
marketplace. She ends up in an orphanage ran by the same people that killed a lot of
her family. Her mother is what motivates her to keep going. She is finally able to
confront her father and stepmother about what they did to her.

















http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3466294-no-choirboy?from_search=true
Kuklin, Susan. (2008). No Choirboy. New York: Henry Holt and Co.

This novel tells 5 different stories, 4 stories about young men who murdered
before they reached 18 and the other story is about a victims family. This novel is
about inmates sentenced to death as teenagers and allows them to tell their own
stories.
Each narrative creates a picture of the teenager who committed something they
will regret in the future. The reader is able to see these individuals that have accepted
the consequences of their actions. Each chapter focuses on the person that committed
the crime or the family of the victim in the form of an interview. They were able to
share their insights of how they felt when first being charged and how it felt being on
trial.
Also, the author introduced Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer that has worked with two
of the boys from the story.




















http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201114.Sold?from_search=true
McCormick, Patricia. (2006). Sold. New York: Disney-Hyperion.
This story is about a 13-year-old girl named Lakshmi that lives with her family on
a mountain in Nepal. She enjoys her life of going to school and playing with friends,
besides the daily chores. She hopes that she will be able to help provide for her family
and looking forward to what the future brings. When a monsoon washes away all her
familys crops, her father must leave to find work to provide for the family. Her
father accepts money from a lady that promises that Lakshmi will work as a maid in
the city of Nepal, like her friend Gita.
Soon Lakshmi finds out that she is headed for India and becomes one of the many
young women sold into sex slavery. She tells of her experiences in the sex slavery
and all of the things that has happened to her. It is based on Lakshmis perspective.
She becomes friends with a boy that helps her learn Hindi and English. She wants
one day to repay her debt and return home.


















http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8078021-thunder-over-kandahar?from_search=true
McKay, Sharon. (2010). Thunder Over Kandahar. Toronto: Annick Press

This story is about best friends Tamanna and Yasmine that live in an Afghan
village. Yasmine and her parents have come back to Afghanistan so that her father
can teach and help the country. While out walking with her mother, they are targeted
by the Taliban and beat her mother. She suffered a broken leg. Her father decides to
move the family to the grandfathers home, which is in Kandahar Province.
In the small village, lives Yasmine with her uncle and mother. Yasmine broke her
hip by her uncle kicking her so she is unable to walk normally. She meets Tamannas
father and soon becomes Yasmines friend. Within the village, a new school is built
by the Americans but is attacked by the Taliban. They threaten the teachers and
students.
As time progresses, the girls encounter struggles. Yasmines parents are seriously
injured on their way to Kandahar. Tamanna is to be married off to an older man to
help pay her uncles debt. They meet again when Yasmine is sent to meet her parents.
The girls decide to flee for their lives and stumble across more difficulties. After
years pass, they are reunited in London and discuss the possibilities of returning
home.
























http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8078019-cry-of-the-giraffe?from_search=true
Oron, Judie. (2010). Cry of the Giraffe: Based on a True Story. Toronto: Annick
Press
This story is based on a girl named Wuditus and her familys journey to
a refugee camp is Sedan. It is based on a true story and actually happened in
1980. Ethiopian Jews fled their country from religious persecution and
rioting, with the hopes of moving to Jerusalem.
Wuditu and her family made that journey but ended up being
separated at their refugee camp in Sedan. Wuditu decided to make her way
back to Ethiopia by herself and is in need of food and shelter. She believes
that her struggles will come to an end when she is offered to be a servant. She
actually became a slave and is enslaved for 2 years.
She dreams and hopes that one day she will see her family again. A
stranger arrives in Ethiopia and gives Wuditu hope about her family. This
story talks about the struggles the Jews went through and the courage and
faith to continue on their journey.














http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3852015-secret-keeper?from_search=true
Perkins, Mitali. (2009). Secret Keeper. New York: Delacorte Press for Young
Reader.

This story is about a 16-year old Asha and her family that live in India during the
1970s. Ashas father loses his job as an engineer and has to leave India for America.
Asha, her sister Reet and their mother move in with their uncles family.
The familys new life is shaped by the decisions of her uncle, in a country with
rich tradition. Reet attracts many men for marriage due to her beauty while Asha is
trying to take care of her sister and mother. Her behavior turns to impulsive so Asha
embarrasses the first man interested in her sister. While her father is gone, money is
tight so Asha has to second-guess her hopes of becoming a psychologist.
Asha finds a calming effect by writing in her diary, the secret keeper while
sitting on the roof of the house. She becomes friends with Jay, who takes a liking to
her while watching her through his window. With the strong traditions in the country,
Asha cannot meet Jay in public so he uses his artistic skills and draws her portrait
from a distance.









http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6558237-a-faraway-island
Thor, Annika. (2009). A Faraway Island. New York: Delacorte Press for Young
Readers.

This story begins with two Jewish sisters that are sent away to Sweden to escape
WWII. Before the war broke out, they lived a normal life in Vienna, Austria with
their parents. The parents could only get two sets of papers, and planned on joining
the girls in America after a couple of months.
The two sisters were put into Foster care in Sweden and separated from one
another and knowing only how to speak German. The 12 year-old sister, Stephie, is
put into care under Aunt Marta. Marta is very orderly and clean. While Nellie, the 8
year-old sister, lives with Auntie Alma. She has two children of her own and is very
loving and caring. As time goes on, Nellie loves her foster family and adjusts to her
surroundings. She starts to pick up the Swedish language and prefers it to her native
language of German. Stephie on the other hand, is having a hard time adjusting to her
surroundings and adapting to her new life, she felt as though she was alone. Her
foster mother doesnt help the situation by being cold and unwelcoming.
As the story continues, the girls worry about their parents and if they will ever see
them again. They adjust to their new life in Sweden and their foster families.